All told, we’ve authorized the deployment of 17,500 National Guardsmen to respond to this crisis.  So far, only about 1,600 have been activated.  That leaves a lot of Guardsmen ready to help.  And if our governors call on them, I know they’ll be ready, because they’re always ready.   

So I want the people of this region to know that my administration is going to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to deal with this disaster.  That includes the additional actions I announced yesterday to make sure that seafood from the Gulf is safe to eat.  It includes steps we’ve taken to protect the safety of workers involved in the cleanup.  It includes the new command structure I announced this morning to make sure states and local communities like Pensacola have the autonomy（自治） and the resources that they need to go forward. 

And that includes something else -- making sure BP pays for the damages that it has caused -- (applause) -- because this isn’t just an environmental disaster.  For many families and communities, it’s an economic disaster.  Here in Pensacola and the Panhandle, tourism is everything.  And when the tourists stay home, it ripples（皱纹，涟漪） out and hits folks across these communities -- the charter boats, the hotels, the restaurants, the roadside stores, the shops, the suppliers, the dive shops.  And if your inland waters are contaminated（污染） -- if the bays and bayous（支流，河口） are contaminated -- it could be devastating, changing the way of life down here for years to come.

I’m going to speak to the nation tonight about this.  But let me say to the people of Pensacola and the Gulf Coast:  I am with you, my administration is with you for the long haul（长远地） to make sure BP pays for the damage that it has done and to make sure that you are getting the help you need to protect this beautiful coast and to rehabilitate（复兴） the damaged areas, to revitalize（复活，复兴） this region, and to make sure that nothing like this happens ever again.  That is a commitment I am making to the people of Florida and people all across this Gulf.

Now, that spirit -- (applause) -- that spirit of resolve and determination and resilience（弹力，恢复力） , that’s the same spirit we see in all of you, the men and women in uniform, the spirit we’ll need to meet other challenges of our time.  Obviously the news has been dominated lately by the oil spill, but our nation is at war and all of you have stepped forward.  You volunteered.  You took an oath.  You stood tall and you said, “I will serve.”

And here at Pensacola, you’re carrying on the proud tradition of naval aviation（航空） that spans a century.  Here at the Barrancas National Cemetery, our heroes from yesterday’s wars are still inspiring us.  And like generations before you, you’re no strangers to sacrifice.  Our prayers are with the families and friends of the crews that you lost in that training exercise two months ago.  Today, we send out our thoughts and prayers to all the folks from Pensacola on the frontlines at this very moment, including Iraq and Afghanistan.  They are making us incredibly proud.

And so are you.  As naval aviators and naval flight officers, you’ll soon earn your “Wings of Gold.”  Many of you will prove yourselves as indispensable（不可缺少的） air crews -- the mechanics, the engineers, the electricians, the maintenance crews -- people’s lives depending on what you do each and every day.

I know you’re looking ahead to your first operational tours -- to join the fleet and your squadrons（一群，分遣队） .  And within weeks, some of you may find yourselves serving on a carrier deck in the Arabian Sea or working a busy flight line in Afghanistan.  And as you begin your careers, as you look ahead to a life of service, I want you to know -- on behalf of the American people -- that your nation thanks you, your nation appreciates you, your nation will stand with you every step of the way.

And as your Commander-in-Chief, I want you to know something:  I will not hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests.  But I will also never risk your lives unless it’s absolutely necessary.  And if it is necessary, we are going to back you up to the hilt（柄，刀把） with the strategy and the clear mission and the equipment and the support that you need to get the job done right.  That’s my promise to every one of you, every man and woman who wears America’s uniform.

That includes the right strategy in Iraq, where we’re partnering with the Iraqi people for their long-term security and prosperity.  And thanks to the honor and the heroism of our troops, we are poised to（准备就绪） end our combat mission in Iraq this summer -- on schedule.  (Applause.)